There was little to choose between the sides before the pacy full forward rifled a cracking finish past Fergal Sheekey two minutes before the interval, and despite losing the equally impressive Evan O'Carroll to injury just after the break, the visitors didn't look back.

Cian Doyle and Dean Maguire were Louth's danger men in an entertaining first-half and the hosts did rally before the break to close the gap to 1-8 to 0-9.

However, Laois grabbed the first four points of the second half to assume control again.

Maguire had a glorious chance to get Louth back into it, but somehow scooped his effort up and over the crossbar.

The home side were still posing a threat at that stage, but points from Tom Shiels, and Sean Moore, and then a fortuitous deflected goal from substitute Michael Keogh put the issue beyond doubt.

Cian Doyle and Keogh exchanged further goals in the closing stages, but Doyle's evening was cut short by a straight red card in the dying minutes.